National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
Slate Quarrying
Penrhyn Slate Quarry, Bethesda, in colour. At 1200 ft deep and a mile in length, it was once one of the largest quarries in the world, producing ‘Princesses’ by the ton.
From the collection of:
Overview
Colour footage of the (still working) Penrhyn Slate Quarry, showing its great depth, the different levels and various aspects of the work: setting of explosives, blasting, the splitting and trimming of roofing slates. An aerial pulley system (a ‘blondin’) is seen carrying wagons loaded with slabs of slate and a steam locomotive, ‘Gertrude’, pulls empty wagons. Waste material - 90% of the rock quarried - is put to good use locally for doorsteps, flooring and fencing.
Sidney Whiteley (1911-1982), who shot this film, was born and brought up in Blackpool, developing an interest in photography at an early age and working for Kodak for most of his adult life. He was a keen walker and met his wife Margaret Ellen Simon via the Youth Hostel Association. Margaret was born in London but her parents were from north Walian/Anglesey families. This Welsh connection allowed Sidney to enter his films – with some success - in Eisteddfod competitions. The quarry he filmed is famous for its 3 year long strike (1900-03) for improved pay and conditions, and the system (and names) it introduced for standardising roof tile sizes - e.g. Empresses, Broad Countesses, Narrow Ladies.
Related
The Roof over Your Head The Roof over Your Head
Documentary 1937 19 mins Location: Blaenau Ffestiniog
The hazardous, hair-raising journey of Welsh slate - from subterranean rock to the world’s rooftops
Their Purpose Served Their Purpose Served
Amateur film 1977 16 mins Silent Location: Aberystwyth
The iron horses of yesteryear, and the railways they ran on, may be down but they are not out. Slate, cattle and coal are still carried as are passengers and restoration is in the air.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.